Ribbon spools



Aug. 23, 1960 A. A. ZIMMERMAN RIBBON SFOOLS Original Fild March 4, 1957A ORNEY5 10 Claims. (Cl. 197-175) This invention relates to a novel twopiece construction for ribbon spools such as are used in typewriters orthe like.

This is a divisional application of copending case Serial Number643,582, filed March 4, 1957 and entitled Method of Manufacturing RibbonSpools.

Conventional typewriter ribbon spools are usually comprised of severalstamped metal parts which are shaped and fastened together by manypiercing, bending, blanking and staking operations. Some of these spoolshave two circular side portions which are fastened together by means ofa hollow rivet or the like. These side portions normally have aplurality of bent over lugs at least one of which provides a means forattaching the typewriter ribbon to the spool; the other lugs serving tomaintain said side portions spaced a minimum distance apart. In otherconventionally designed ribbon spools the said bent over lugs definedthe means for fastening said side portions together. In either case notonly does the assembly operation of the various component parts of thespool involve an excessive amount of individual handling and positioningof said parts but the actual fastening operation requires a staking orswaging operation at several points on the ribbon spool. It is apparentthat such operations can be time consuming and expensive. Suchconventional type spool constructions do not lend themselves to fullyautomatic manufacturing processes and hence the production cost savingsobtainable by use of such processes are lost. In addition the greaterthe number of component parts which make up a ribbon spool, the greaterwill be the amount of material forming, handling and working equipmentrequired.

One object of the instant invention is toprovide a novel constructionfor a ribbon spool whereby said-spool is comprised of a minimum numberof component parts.

Another object of the invention isto provide an improved constructionfor the component parts of a ribbon spool whereby said part may be moreefiiciently formed, assembled and fastened together.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel means forsecuring together the component parts of a ribbon spool.

Other objects will become apparent as the disclosure progresses.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a first flanged component part ofthe ribbon spool.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the diametral section line 22 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a second component part of theribbon spool.

Fig. 4 is a diametral sectional view of the part shown in Fig. 3, and istaken in a plane which includes the two ribbon anchor lugs.

Fig. 5 is a diametral sectional view showing the first and secondcomponent parts in their assembled and mutually secured positions.

The first or upper flanged component part 1 of the Patented Aug. 23,11960 ribbon spool shown in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a ribbon hub 2defined by a pair of similar diametrically opposed cylindrical sideportions 3 and a pair of diametrically opposed flat side portions 4intermediate and interconnecting said side portions 3. Integrallyconnected to the upper end of said hub 2 is a coaxially disposedcircular flange 5 having a radially extending notch 6 formed therein.integrally connected to the lower end of said hub 2 is a radiallyinwardly extending portion 10 the plane of which is substantiallyparallel to the plane of said circular flange 5. Formed in said portion10 is a plurality of holes 11 whose respective centers are equidistantfrom the axis 12 of said ribbon hub 22. integrally formed on said radialportion 10 of the part 1 is an inwardly extending tubular fastening hub15 which is coaxially disposed inside said ribbon hub 2. It will benoted that the ribbon hub 2 extends away from flange 5 while the tubularfastening hub 15 extends toward said flange.

The second or lower flanged component part 18 shown in Figs. 3 and 4-,comprises a tubular bearing hub 20 having a radially disposed circularflange 21 integrally connected to the lower end thereof. Flange 21 hastwo upwardly extending ribbon anchor lugs 22 and 23 disposed in planeswhich are substantially parallel to the axis of said tubular hub 20. Lug23 is provided with a pair of laterally extending wedge shaped ears 24and 25. A plurality of holes 27 are formed in the flange 21 adjacent thetubular hub 20 and have their respective centers located equidistantfrom the axis of said hub 20.

Fig- 5 shows the two component parts 1 and 18 assembled and fastenedtogether to form the ribbon spool 30. The bearing hub 20 of the lowercomponent part 18 is press fitted into coaxial nesting relation withrespect to the tubular hub 15 of the upper component part 1; said partsbeing relatively rotatably oriented so that said sets of holes 11 and 27are in registry with each other. In the assembled condition, as shown inFig. 5, the fastening and bearing hubs15 and 20 extend in the same axialdirection. The inner end of the bearing hub 20 extends slightly beyondthe inner end of hub 15 and is expanded and/ or staked as shown at 31 tothereby mutually secure said parts. In the assembled position the ribbonanchor lugs 22 and 23 are juxtaposed and substantially parallelto saidflat side portions 4 of ribbon hub 2. Here the end of lug 22 will beaccessibly located adjacent the radially inner limits of said notch 6.If desired either or both of said flanges may be provided with aperipherally disposed stifiening rib.

The tubular hub 20 is adapted to receive the conventional typewriterribbon spool supporting shaft and the aligned holes 11 and 27 willselectively receive the usual driving pin of the typewriter ribbon feedmechanism.

The advantages of the above described construction for the componentparts 1 and 18 of Figs. 1 and 3 will now be apparent. By having the hubs2, 15 and 2t coaxially and integrally connected to the respectiveflanges 5 and 21 said hubs may beformed by a series of drawingoperations which are performed in combination with the usual piercing,sizing and bending operations. Likewise by having only two componentparts to each ribbon spool 30 fewer different tools and less materialhandling and storage equipment are required in the forming andassembling operations. Furthermore the mating parts 1 and 18 of eachspool 30 may be quickly and accurately assembled and require staking orswaging at only one point in order to be securely fastened together.These features allow the ribbon spools, such as shown at 30, to beefficiently manufactured by fully automatic processes and thereby makepossible substantial savings in per unit production costs.

While there is in this application specifically described one form whichthe invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that thisform of the same is shown for purposes of illustration only and that theinvention may be modified and embodied in various other forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A ribbon spool, comprising, a first flanged component part havingintegrally formed thereon a centrally disposed ribbon hub and a tubularfastening hub, said ribbon and fastening hubs respectively extendingaway from and towards the flanged portion of said first component part,and a second flanged component part axially fixedly fastened to saidfastening hub so as to positively prevent an axial separation of saidfirst and second flanged component parts.

2. A ribbon spool, comprising, a first flanged component part having aribbon hub and an inside fastening hub formed thereon, said ribbon andfastening hubs respectively extending away from and towards the flangedportion of said first part, and a second flanged component part having atubular bearing hub centrally disposed and integrally formed thereon,said parts being fixedly secured together with said bearing andfastening hubs in nesting relation so as to prevent relative axialmovement between said component parts.

3. A ribbon spool, comprising, a first flanged component part having aribbon hub and an inner fastening hub each concentrically disposedthereon, said ribbon hub being formed with at least one substantiallyflat side portion, and a second flanged component part having a tubularbearing hub centrally disposed thereon, said parts being securedtogether with said hubs in coaxial nesting relation.

4. A ribbon spool as defined by claim 3, additionally comprising, atleast one ribbon abutment lug mounted on one of said parts and disposedadjacent and substantially parallel to said side portion formed on saidribbon hub.

5. A ribbon spool, comprising, a first flanged component part having twohubs integrally formed thereon the first being a centrally disposedribbon hub and the second being a fastening hub which is disposed insidesaid ribbon hub, said ribbon and fastening hubs respectively extendingaway from and towards the flanged portion of said first part, a secondflanged component part having an axially extending centrally disposedtubular bearing hub integrally formed thereon, said parts beingassembled in coaxial nesting relation, and means for fixedly securingsaid parts together so as to prevent relative axial movement of saidcomponent parts.

6. A ribbon spool as defined by claim 5, additionally comprising, atleast one ribbon lug mounted on said second flanged component part.

7. A typewriter ribbon spool, comprising, a first flanged component parthaving coaxially and centrally disposed ribbon and fastening hubsintegrally formed thereon, said ribbon and fastening hubs respectivelyextending away from and towards the flanged portion of said first part,a second flanged component part having a centrally disposed tubularbearing hub integrally formed thereon, said parts having a plurality ofaligned holes formed therein, a pair of ribbon abutment lugs integrallyformed on one of said parts, and means for securing said parts togetherwith said bearing and fastening hubs in coaxial nesting relation.

8. A typewriter ribbon spool, comprising a first component part having aflanged portion, a tubular ribbon hub integrally formed on said flangedportion, a tubular fastening hub integrally formed and extending axiallyinwardly with respect to said ribbon hub, said fastening hub extendingfrom the outer end of said ribbon hub towards the flanged portion ofsaid-first component part, a second component part having a flangedportion, and a tubular bearing hub integrally formed on the flangedportion of said second part, said parts being fixedly secured togetherso that said tubular bearing hub is disposed in coaxial nesting relationwith respect to said fastening hub and so as to positively preventrelative axial movement between said component parts when the spool isin use.

9. Apparatus as defined by claim 8 wherein a radially extending portionof said first component part interconnects said ribbon and fasteninghubs.

10. A typewriter ribbon spool, comprising a first component part havinga flanged portion, a tubular ribbon hub integrally formed on saidflanged portion, a tubular fastening hub disposed inside of said ribbonh ub, said fastening hub being integrally secured to the outer end ofthe ribbon hub by means of a radially extending portion of said firstcomponent part and extending towards said flanged portion, a secondcomponent part having a flanged portion, and a tubular bearing hubintegrally formed on the flanged portion of said second part, saidcomponent parts being secured together so that said tubular bearing hubis disposed in coaxial nesting relation with respect to said fasteninghub, and a ribbon lug formed on said second component part and extendingsubstantially parallel to a flat side portion formed on said ribbon hub.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS837,031 Brown Nov. 27, 1906 2,106,726 Draeger Feb. 1, 1938 2,667,257Hurtado Jan. 26, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,022,222 France Dec. 10, 1952

